RantCrush Top 5: January 13, 2017

U.S. troops have moved from Germany to the southwest part of Poland, marking the first time a NATO ally has had a continuous military deployment in the area. Some Poles have wanted this kind of presence since the Cold War and many waved American flags as the tanks rolled in. For Poland, having some protection from Russia is ideal.

President Barack Obama is aiming to keep stability in the region, which recently has become more rattled. Russia and Poland have historically had a contentious relationship, and Russia pinched Ukraine’s Crimea territory in 2014. Russia has also started deploying nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad–which is Russian territory–but is located in between Lithuania and Poland.

“It is a sign of the US commitment to this alliance and to peace and prosperity in Europe”. https://t.co/NrSSrDvamF

— Wiesław Pawlak (@wskpwlk) January 10, 2017

Though Poles are largely happy about the U.S. support, many fear that it will not last after President-elect Donald Trump comes into power, as he has shown signs of being more Kremlin-friendly than previous U.S. presidents.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.